BIZ-FINANCE: MANILA- Philippine stocks lead region, SET up slightly

Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Friday, with Philippines hitting a nine-and-a-half-month closing high and the Stock Exchange of Thailand ending slightly higher.

The regional gains followed a report of progress in Sino-US trade talks raised hopes of a deal to end a bitter tariff war between the world’s top two economies.

Philippine shares led the gains in Southeast Asia with a jump of 1.5% ahead of the release of fourth quarter GDP data next week.

“Investors are anticipating positive results or at least within expectations,” said Miguel Ong, an analyst with AP Securities, referring to the GDP data.

Industrial and real estate stocks were the biggest contributors with index heavyweights SM Prime Holdings Inc and Jollibee Foods rising further after Wednesday’s sharp fall.

SM Investments Corp climbed 2.4%, SM Prime Holdings rose 2.9% and Jollibee Foods gained 3.8%.

For the week, Philippine shares added 1.8% in their third straight weekly gain.

The SET index gained 3.47 points or 0.22% to 15,83.77, in turnover of 48 billion baht.

Siam Commercial Bank Plc plunged 8 baht or 5.86% to 128.50 baht after the bank’s net profit tumbled 23% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2018. Kasikornbank Plc eased 1.50 baht or 0.81% to 183 although it reported a 12% jump in 2018 profit.

Other Southeast Asian stock markets closed marginally higher, in line with broader Asia following a renewed bout of optimism rising from a Wall Street Journal report that stated US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed lifting some or all tariffs imposed on Chinese imports and suggested offering a tariff rollback during trade discussions scheduled for Jan 30.

However, a Treasury spokesman denied the report, saying the process with China was “nowhere near completion.”

Despite the denial, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.55%.

Malaysian shares rose 0.6% on Friday, boosted by gains in material stocks, and 0.5% this week.

Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd rose 2.4%, while Top Glove Corp Bhd climbed 2.8%.

Indonesian shares rose 0.4%, erasing earlier losses following the release of December motorbike sales data.

Index heavyweight Astra International Tbk PT rose 2.4% following an 8.9 % annual growth in December motorcycle sales.

Meanwhile, financials also gained with Bank Central Asia Tbk PT hitting a record high. An index of the country’s 45 most liquid stocks rose 0.6%.

For the week, Indonesian shares rose 1.4% in their  fourth straight weekly gain.